1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reducing power consumption in a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reducing power consumption of a mobile station in a wireless communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile station of a wireless communication system transmits a signal using a transmitter that includes a baseband module, a Radio Frequency (RF) module, and a Power Amplifier (PA).
The baseband module generates a digital signal to transmit and converts the digital signal to an analog signal.
The RF module converts an analog signal converted by the baseband module to an RF signal.
The PA amplifies power of the RF signal such that the RF signal converted by the RF module may be transmitted to a destination via a radio resource, and transmits the RF signal via an antenna. At this point, the PA should amplify the signal such that the mobile station may transmit the signal to a serving base station at any point of a service area of the serving base station. For example, the mobile station uses a PA that can amplify power up to 30 dBm at the maximum so as to enable communication with a serving base station that is several kilometers or tens of kilometers away. At this point, power consumption of the PA is much greater than that of the baseband module in the mobile station.
A wireless communication system may configure a hetero network that uses a low power small base station in order to raise a network service capacity. For example, the wireless communication system may configure a hetero network in which a macro base station 100 and small base stations 110 and 120 coexist as illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, the small base station includes a pico cell, a femto cell, a relay station, and/or the like.
FIG. 1 illustrates configuration of a hetero network according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, in the hetero network, a pico cell of a pico base station 110 and a femto cell of a femto base station 120 are located inside a macro cell by a macro base station 100.
A mobile station (e.g., MS1 or MS2) located inside the macro cell accesses one of the macro base station 100, the pico base station 110, and the femto base station 120 to receive a communication service.
In a case of receiving a communication service via the hetero network, the mobile station includes a first power amplifier that can support a communication service inside the macro cell whose service area is largest in size among cells configuring the hetero network. In the case in which the mobile station performs communication with the femto base station 120, the mobile station performs communication with the femto base station 120 using the first amplifier.
As described above, in the case in which the mobile station uses the power amplifier that supports communication with the macro base station 100 in order to communicate with the femto base station 120, the mobile station uses the power amplifier whose maximum power level is unnecessarily high, thereby unnecessarily resulting in significant power consumption.
Therefore, a need exists for an apparatus and method for reducing power consumption of a mobile station in a wireless communication system.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present invention.